Small Steps
by allofmyimagination
Summary: Harry and Draco are having an argument that could destroy EVERYTHING. Or not, it could go either way really? Rated M for the language and the implication of sex. Real world style, no wands...of the magic sort anyway! Rated M for language, no sexy times.


Small Steps:

"I don't want a mongrel in my house Harry!"

"What's wrong with getting a dog Draco?"

"For starters, they have hair! It gets _every where_ , Pansy got a dog and I haven't seen her in a black dress without at least one hair since! Then there's the poop and pee, everywhere! Especially puppies, we would spend our whole lives looking after some animal that won't wear a nappy or may even chew up all our furniture and you know we just redecorated!" Harry rolled his eyes. "And don't forget the walking, in the rain, the snow, when it's scorchingly hot! Not to mention the horrendous smell when wet." he whined.

"Fine Draco! I won't mention it again." Harry walked away slowly with his hands held up. Draco winced. Harry tended to look so helpless when pulling that move that he felt guilty even though he was very sure of his decision.

Harry…"

"It's okay, I just thought that having a dog would take us from an 'us' to a little family and you know that I-"

"We can have sympathy sex?" Harry sighed, "I'll lick that place that makes you reaaaaaaal horny!" Draco licked the shell of Harry's ear and Harry groaned lightly.

"Fiiiiine…"

"Like it's a fucking hardship!" Draco grunted, pushing him into the sofa and straddling him.

Two weeks later:

"Draco, what the hell is this!" Harry stormed into their apartment slamming the door. The warmth at Draco's side disappeared around the corner into the kitchen.

"Harry don't…" Harry held up the dark blue tie in a clenched fist, his face red with anger. Draco stood up defensively, "Harry, i-it's not what you think I didn't-" Harry threw the tie at Draco.

"How could you?" Harry collapsed on the sofa and Draco nearly cried out at the expression on his face.

"Harry…" Draco said a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"ARE YOU LAUGHING? WHAT THE FUCK DRACO!" The sound of nails on tile echoed through the apartment. "Draco, what's that sound?" A smile crept into his voice.

"Well…you probably scared the shite out of her, but…come here baby!" Draco crooned crouching and clicking his tongue. Harry smiled at the sight, it was so domestic and wonderful that he grinned. From the kitchen came more of the clicking sound and a small, silvery head poked out. Small ears twitched and then followed the noise. It was cute enough that Harry awed a little.

Then followed a body, a body that could be no bigger than Harry's palm surely. A few more steps and into Draco's arms went the small body. Cradling her with a tender expression on his face Draco took small steps to where Harry sat on the sofa.

"This is our baby, Harry!" Draco whispered. Harry grinned so hard his face nearly split and stood up probably to fast considering the little lifeform in Draco's arms and kissed him solidly on the lips.

"Our baby! Good God I love you more than anybody has ever loved anybody in any previous life ever!" He pulled back and Draco frowned.

"Not a good start sweetie! You yelled way too loud and nearly crushed her!" Draco was still whispering.

"Does _she_ have a name?" Draco smiled gently staring down.

"I wanted her to be Andromeda, but she's so tiny that I didn't want to force her to be larger than life you know? It's such a hefty name!" Harry pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

"What about Reticulum after your wonderful ass?" Draco bopped his chin lightly not willing to shift an arm even though she would most definitely not fall off such a ledge.

"I asked my mum," Draco blushed at this as though feeling traitorous for such a deed, "and she suggested Cassiopeia? That was going to be my middle name if I was a girl? Or we could Cassie for short?" Harry nuzzled into Draco's warm neck.

"I think that your mum gets major phone call privileges for that one!" Draco nuzzled back, Cassie still in their arms. "You know, when I said dog, I really meant dog, not a feline right?"

"I know, but cats are so much more elegant, better suited to apartments with their lack of garden, she won't rip our furniture because she has good taste," Harry pulled back and raised an eyebrow, "What? She took one look at my suit and curled up on the sofa _next_ to me! And she'll hate the rain as much as I do, so neither one of us will have to walk!" Harry gently led them to the sofa, slowly sitting, so as not to freak the small kitten that lay still, green eyes cautious and wary and leaned back.

"Where did you find her?" Draco grinned excitedly.

"That's the best part! She was in the window of a high end jewellers modelling in the window and rocking this diamond encrusted collar and I saw her gorgeous eyes and paid ten grand for her right there and then!" He then proceeded to bring Cassie up to his face and pressed into her fur. For her part the cat just purred.

"Y-you did w-what?" Harry stuttered not quite believing what he had heard, "ten grand for a-a cat?" Draco couldn't hold it in any longer and sniggered.

"No! But you should have seen your face! I was just coming out of work and this homeless man had her in a box next to him. He looked so sad to give her away Harry, but we got talking and I found out that the kittens' mother had accidentally got pregnant and he just couldn't afford to keep them because of all the veterinary bills and that he doesn't really have a very sanitary home and such, so I offered to take her. He thanked me for even talking to him, can you _imagine_ that! _Just for talking to_ _him_! And offered her for free, but you know, he was struggling so I gave him what I had on me, which was about £230 and eighty-seven pence and told him to put it towards the bills."

I obviously washed her afterwards, she was so dirty she was black and I had to take her to the vets as well because she had this odd looking lump on her left leg-" Harry had been watching Draco throughout his story with an astonished look on his face and could no longer hold himself back and lunged forwards to snog the heck out of Draco, his hands going forwards to lovingly cradle the smooth alabaster skin of Draco's cheeks. He obliged _obviously_. They were just starting to reposition themselves for better crotch thrusting when the cat mewled from around Draco's neck.

"See? This is why I didn't want kids! When are we going to have sex anymore? It's going to be running and burping and wiping puke stains off my suit and having hideous bags under my eyes! Where is there time for sex?" Harry smirked.

"Draco, just feed the cat and we'll move onto dirty business later when she's all tucked up." Draco grunted unhappily, but conceded.

Later they did in fact do much dirty businessing much to Draco's delight and after their respective showers they went to curl up under the duvet, only to find that Cassiopeia had stolen one of the pillows for herself.

"That is ridiculously cute!" Draco whispered and Harry wrapped his arms around his waist and rested his chin on his shoulder.

"It really is!" He whispered back. There was a pause.

"Hey where was the tie from? It's not one of ours is it?" Draco shook his head.

"That was what I spend the ten grand on! Only the best for my baby." Harry bit him teasingly and Draco giggled. Draco Malfoy _giggled_. "No, it was on a mannequin in the first shop I saw afterwards and couldn't be assed spending a tenner on a lead when she's so tiny!" Harry spun Draco round to face him.

"Did you get her a collar made or microchipped?" Draco rolled his eyes and let out a huff of breath as if to ridicule Harry, "Of course you did, silly ol' me!"

"Harry? I think we done good!" A snuffle from behind him and kiss to the juncture between his shoulder and neck told him that Harry agreed.

 **AN: Always get your pets microchipped if you can. Seriously good idea! A collar can fall off, but a microchip is for life, not to mention much easier to contact an owner with. It takes a "boop" at a vet and BAM! Poochie's back for Crimbo!**

 **Please review as I love hearing feedback and happy new year!**

 **AMI xx**


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